The Progress Paradox and Sustainability

Two ideas have been swirling around in my thoughts for the past months. The first is from Gregg Easterbrook’s The Progress Paradox; the idea is that almost all aspects of Western life have vastly improved in the past century - but most men and women feel less happy than in previous generations. The second idea is that we have to figure out ways to live on Earth sustainably (a good staring point to understand why is Jeffrey Sachs' Introduction to Sustainable Development course available On Demand from Coursera)…or we won’t be able to live on Earth; our population is growing, there will come a time when the world cannot provide enough food and water, and we are changing the climate of the earth (and it’s not for the better).

Putting the two ideas together - we live in a way that is not making us happy and it is hurting the planet…..

We need to change the trajectory of ‘progress.’

Up until now - progress has been about harnessing the resources that the earth stored away in the past. Breaking natural cycles was not something we worried about. In many cases the resources are transformed as they are harnessed and cannot be used in the same way again. With the cycles broken, the resources are not replenished either. For example, we have ramped up agriculture to produce food for more people but managed to reduce the productivity of the land either by erosion, salination, or poisoning of soil…so that some soils can no longer grow food as effectively (or at all). And the overall biodiversity around us has been dramatically reduced.

Our quick and dirty manufacturing has made industrialists wealthy and provide inexpensive products to millions but left debris and poisons in their wake.

There is evidence that there is a human induced mass extinction happening on Earth right now.

We all make choices about the way we live and most of us would choose to live sustainably if we could. But our society provides very few choices that enable that?

Right now some aspects of sustainability are very difficult or impossible. Some examples:

There are some items that always come packaged in plastic (plastic bins/bags of salad greens, bags of frozen fruit),

There are products that such short serviceability that they clog landfills (disposable diapers, foam packing material), and

Electric cars are expensive and range limited….the list goes on.

But the real problem is lack of vision from the top that leads to a sustainable society. With no top down vision it is hard to piece together what we as individuals can do (i.e. bottom up) that will make a difference. That does not mean we should not take the actions that we can.

In 2015 - my overarching resolution for the new year is to live more sustainably. 

There are some steps I have already taken in the past few years and new actions. Some are substantial…some are very small. I’ll be writing about them in the weeks ahead and encourage everyone to think about taking steps, even small ones, toward living more sustainably. It’s the most important type of progress we can make for the long term benefit of our children…and the generations to come. And - who knows - maybe there is a nugget of happiness in the doing too.

Christmas Retrospective

What were the best parts of your Christmas? Here are mine:

A sunny day. We’d had clouds and rain for the days leading up to Christmas to having a bright sunny day for Christmas was very welcome.

Scones. I made scones with cranberry orange relish and crystalized ginger - and ate my first serving hot from the oven, sitting in a sunny window, drinking hot tea, and reading a novel.  Cooking is something I savor now that I don’t need to rush.

Yes - there was other good food and gifts…but looking back at the day, I savored the quiet of this Christmas. Many past Christmases were a lot of hustle and bustle with large family or work events around the holiday. By the 25th everyone was exhausted. But the calm settled in around my house early this week....making the day a relaxed crescendo of the season.

Merry Christmas

Every Christmas is different but I enjoy them all.

Here’s wishing everyone a wonderful day with family and friends!

Christmas Eve

The night before Christmas….what is your tradition?

As I was growing up, I remember the countdown to Christmas. We were permitted to open one present per day beginning a few days before Christmas. The largest or most grandly wrapped present was saved for the evening of Christmas Eve - opened after a very large evening meal that tried to provide everyone’s favorite foods. I remember the desserts more than the main dishes: apricot kolaches and cinnamon rolls. As I got older I appreciated the raisin buns (yeast bread around a raisin filling) served with dinner.

We enjoyed the lights of the season. There was a line of cars to see the biggest display in town. We always tried to spot which part was new…and where the guards were sitting.

Music was also an important part of the season. We enjoyed school performances, caroling, and church choirs. Some of the events were earlier than Christmas Eve but they set the stage for the evening…and the next day too.

Now - I realize I have some of my own traditions.

• Pumpkin Custard is our favorite dessert for the Christmas season (as it was for Thanksgiving too). I’ll be making it today.
• We’ll watch The Snowman video (available on YouTube here) this evening and maybe listen to Steeleye Span’s Gaudete (from their web page here) and some Mannheim Steamroller Christmas.
• A fire in the fireplace to enjoy along with our dinner and video/music.
• Driving around to look at the lights in the neighborhoods near us.

Gleanings of the Week Ending December 20, 2014

The items below were ‘the cream’ of the articles and websites I found this past week. Click on the light green text to look at the article.

The Hooting Season: Enjoying Great Horned Owls - I liked the owl pictures!

What Are MOOCs Good For? - I enjoy the Coursera MOOCs so I thought I would read a review of MOOCs in general.  I was surprised that the review barely mentions people like me that enjoy MOOCs to learn about a topic rather than to get a certification or qualification for a career. When I look at discussion boards - it seems like there are quite of few of us ‘post career’ folks taking MOOCs.

Walking Fish Model Evolution - I had heard about ‘walking fish’ but had never seen one in action. This post includes a video....and discusses how the fishes bones change if they are walking frequently.

Three ways cats can control our minds - There is a summary in the narrative of the three ways but the video is worth watching! Fun!

An Ocean of Plastic - I’ve been hearing more about this recently…we have to figure out how to stop putting more plastic into the ocean. On an individual level - recycling plastic is an OK answer but not really good enough. It’s hard to avoid plastic but that is what we need to think more about. I have already stopped buying bottled water and I carry reusable shopping bags whenever I shop (not just for groceries although that is how I started).

A Bird's Eye View of Humpback Whales Participating In Bubble Feeding - This is like the walking fish post - something I’d read about but never seen. The second video provides more narrative about how they do it (if you don’t hear the narrative check the audio volume).

EPA’s Energy Efficiency Action Week & New Energy Star Home Advisor - This online tool has been updated according to this post. The tool itself is available here.  Be prepared to hunt through records if your want to assess your house with this tool!

Absolutely Stunning Examples of Lakes and Rivers with Unearthly Colors - I appreciate the ones that are colors from nature….the ones from pollution are very sad.

Chemical-Sensing Displays and Other Surprising Uses of Glass - A peek at Corning research.

Desalination out of Desperation - There is a lot of water in the sea….but desalination is still very expensive. But we may be coming close to a time when we’ll pay the price.

The Grand Cleanout - December 2014

About 150 books and tapes left the house this week - donated to the local Friends of the Library charity for their used book sale. This is what they looked like in boxes filling the trunk of my car.

Previously I had been keeping travel and cook books as references but now I am using the internet more than books. When I travel I want the most current information rather than a book several years old. Doing a quick search for recipes on my tablet is easier than looking through the cookbook shelf; I put the tablet on a stand on the counter once I choose the recipe.

I kept the travel books that were very specific to a place I enjoyed…and cookbooks from Moosewood - a restaurant we enjoyed while my daughter was in college.

December Sunrise

It is easy to be up for sunrise these days. Yesterday - when these images were taken - the sunrise was at 7:18 which is well after the time I am up and about in the morning. Another benefit for this time of year - the leaves are gone so the horizon is not a solid wall of vegetation. It was a very cold morning so I took the easiest vantage point: through a window on the second floor of my house!

The first image was taken about 10 minutes before sunrise. Doesn’t the sky look like molten lava behind the trees? The second image is about 5 minutes after sunrise when the light was turning lemony.

December Hurry and Flurry

The December hurry and flurry is in full swing already for me. I seem to be a little behind in a number of areas.

The front yard needs raking because the oak tree waited to drop its leaves until about a week ago and it had been very wet since then. The leaves need to be raked even though it will be a cold and miserable job.

The gifts that have to be mailed are purchased - which is good. But they need to get in the mail this week. And there are more on the list to be ordered and sent directly to the recipients. I appreciate the Amazon wish lists!

I am barely started on sending out cards. It is more time consuming since I want to write at least a short note in each one. My goal is to do at least a few every day over the next week and hope they all get done.

The house needs a good cleaning - the floors and bathrooms are OK but many surfaces (particularly the bookcases) are very dusty.

And items to be donated are piled in the dining room.

It is all easily corrected…and I’ll feel a lot better about the holiday when it is!

Holiday Decorations at Belmont

The Howard County Conservancy hosted a Colonial Holiday Celebration at Belmont yesterday. I volunteered to help with set up and registration so had enough time before the event started to photograph some of the decorations that partner organizations had created in the first floor room. They had done a fabulous job. There were lots of good ideas to consider for some future Christmas decorating: cranberries at the end of narrow ribbons hanging from the chandelier, a bowl of cranberries; garlands of pine boughs, cones, and boxwood; magnolia leaves and dried hydrangea flowers in an unused fireplace; arrangements of oranges studded with cloves, apples and pineapples; homemade ornaments of dried apple slices, whole pomegranates drying, dough handprints; greenery tied to everything with narrow red ribbon; popcorn and cranberry garland.

It was close to sunset by the time I left. The windows of the house glowed in the soft evening light.

Looking in the other direction the horizon glowed with color, the pond reflects the trees, and the magnolia in from of the house stands sentinel.

Clothes for Cold Days

Now that our weather has turned decidedly cold - I have all my winter clothes out. I have lots of options but I find myself thinking more about what helps the most to keep me comfortable in the cold:

Shoes. My hiking boots are the warmest shoes I have. The thick soles - insulating my feet from the cold ground are the most important part of the shoe. I have some clogs which are my second warmest shoes; they are open in the back but their soles are thick and I wear them with thick socks if it isn’t wet or snowy.

Gloves. If it is cold when I go shopping - I have discovered that I am more comfortable putting my coat in the trunk of the car before I leave my garage….putting on gloves with my indoor winter wear (typically sweatshirt and jeans)…and walking fast between the car and the store. If I wear my coat into the store, I get too hot. Wearing the gloves keeps me comfortable for the minute it takes for the short walk. Somehow my hands are the first part of me to get cold. I also have mega-gloves for when I need to work outside (shoveling snow, for example).

Scarves. It is amazing how much extra comfort a scarf can provide when it is very cold. It seals off air leaks around the neck…or can be pulled up to partially cover the face if it is really cold.

Hoodie. I like to wear a hoodie under my coat. It is a good layer too…if it isn’t quite as cold as I thought. In really cold weather I wear a knit hat and pull the hoodie up over the hat!

Personal History via Christmas Ornaments

Every year when I decorate for the holidays, I enjoy the personal history the ornaments represent.

From the 1960s, there are red tree shapes with gold braid (my mother gave them to be years later when she was cleaning out Christmas ‘stuff’),

A ceramic candle holder of carolers given to me by a friend from early elementary school, and

A Madonna and Child from an elderly neighbor that lived across the street when I was in late elementary school.

From the 1970s, there are handmade felt birds. I made two of each kind. In recent years they have decorated banisters rather than the tree.

From the 1980s, the collection includes angels left behind by the previous owner of the house we bought in Virginia,

Some heritage glass ornaments from the Smithsonian,

Dough bears made by my sister just before we got pregnant with our daughters (her first, my only), and

Ornaments that my mother-in-law bought during her first Christmas with us.

In the 1990s, my daughter chose a white artificial tree (the cat is from the 2000s and is not a Christmas ornament) and

Homemade ornaments (my favorite is the purple eggshell).

By the 2000s, the tree was already full. One of the few additions were copper coated leaves that my daughter bought as a gift to us while she was away at college. I like them so much I put them in the window as sun catchers.

In the2010s, I added an owl cut from light wood that I bought on our trek down the east coast to Florida in fall 2013 for the Maven launch.

I’ve also wrapped the small boxes (empty) we’ve accumulated over the years to put in a sleigh beside the tree - they are my latest ‘decoration’!

Backyard View - November 2014

I’m continuing my monthly post of morning images of the trees in our backyard that I started in September and continued in October. Since all the leaves have fallen of this month, I’ll take a hiatus until next spring and then do another series in the spring.

The November trees were colorful…and then bare by the end of the month. At the beginning of the month, the tulip poplar (middle) leaves were mostly on the ground, the maple (right) still had a lot of red leaves and the small locust next to the pine was turning yellow. The images in the slide show below were taken on the

2nd, (still some green in the maple)

3rd, (no more green in the maple and there are more leaves on the ground)

4th, (there was some raking done for the thickest area of leaves)

8th, (the locust has turned completely yellow and it is obvious there will need to be more raking)

11th, (the neighbor’s yard crew did now work, the maple is has dropped a lot of leaves but the locust still has quite a few)

13th and (not leaves on the maple, the locust has lost most of its leaves as well)

20th. (the neighbor’s yard crew blew off the leaves and left bare dirt).

Since the last picture - I raked again. I leave the leaf mulch in areas that are too heavily shaded to grow grass!

Thanksgiving 2014

The cranberry orange relish, pumpkin custard, and gingerbread molasses scones were made yesterday.

The roast is in the crockpot.

The potatoes (sweet and russet) and parsnips (au gratin) are poised to go into the oven.

We’ll light the logs in the fireplace and eat a small salad as football blares.

It’s our tradition.

In the short silences of the day -

Maybe on a neighborhood walk after the big meal, during halftime of the football game -

We’ll talk of the wonder of our lives:

That our long careers were satisfying…

That our family is well…

That the future is full of potential…

That we live the way we wish to live…

And we are full of thanks.

Frozen Days

We have already had some very cold days in Maryland this year - where the temperature did not get above 32 degrees Fahrenheit. That has prompted some thinking about the cold weather to come. What will I do differently than last winter?

I’ll empty the bird bath in the late afternoon or early evening on very cold nights and then refill it in the morning before I have breakfast. That habit would provide liquid water at sunrise and a few hours afterward for the birds when they are usually active around our deck. The bird feeder is hanging nearby but the bird bath has been very popular the past few weeks (when it isn’t frozen like it was when I took the photograph).

There will be a snowflake photography kit kept in a plastic container on the deck so I won’t have to wait for everything to cool down before I can get snowflake pictures. It will include: colored glass plates and a jewelers loupe.

An old coat and scarf will be kept in the trunk of my car. It is very easy to misjudge the cold when I am leaving the house since the car is in a garage. I’ve become more aware that a scarf makes a huge difference on bitter cold - or windy - days. I should also try to replace clogs with closed shoes. I rediscovered hiking boots last winter and wear them particularly on cold days when I know I will be outdoors.

I'll wear leggings under my jeans when I am outdoors on very cold days. They work better for me than long underwear! 

Hot drinks are always welcome on cold days. Tea has been my hot drink of choice for years but I am changing to hot water flavored with ginger root and lemon this year.

That’s about it for now….I’ll probably come up with more as the cold of the season deepens.

Last Leaf Raking of 2014

The last raking of our yard was done this weekend. I put it off until the loud noises from leaf blowers ended. I prefer to hear the noises of leaves and small animals in the yard and forest while I work. There were only a few places where the leaves were deep enough that the lawn mowing in a few days (the last of the season) would not shred them enough to feed the grass rather than smother it. The base of the maple was the largest area; I had already raked once but the tree still had half its leaves at that point.

I left the leaves in the flower bed. The mint seems to be enjoying the protection of the leaves through the recent temperatures in the teens and twenties; this calls for another small mint harvest to create a pot of fresh mint and ginger ‘tea’.

I am putting leaves around the base of the sycamore that came up in our backyard a few years ago. It is growing up: the bark is beginning to peel and it had one seed ball this year.

In a little over an hour, the job was done - mostly. I stopped because the base of my thumb felt raw under my work glove; sure enough - a few layers of skin had been rubbed away by the friction of the rake handle. 

Gleanings of the Week Ending November 22, 2014

The items below were ‘the cream’ of the articles and websites I found this past week. Click on the light green text to look at the article.

Winter Lodging in the National Parks: The Choices Are Many and Intriguing - I’ve stayed at the Flagg Ranch in early spring….and it did snow while we were there. There are lots of other parks with winter lodging!

Prairie Ecologist’s Photo of the Week – November 14, 2014 - A series of photos of a Chinese mantis (feeding on a sphinx moth).

The strange world inside cheese - cheese=the castle built by microbes

IEA World Energy Outlook 2014: 5 Takeaways - None of the 5 seem surprising to me….only that they rank above other aspects of the world energy outlook. The International Energy Agency is looking out to 2040.

Scientists Have Climbed To the Bottom of the Mysterious Siberian Crater - The bottom is about 35 feet below the surface and is a frozen lake. The depth of the lake is estimated to be 35 feet deep, but it could be deeper. The picture look like it could be on another planet…but this is Earth and there could be more of these forming as the climate warms.

It Turns Out That "Longevity Genes" Don't Exist - Evidently the genetic underpinnings maybe real but they are so complex that this study that included 20% of the people alive today that are over 110 years old could not pinpoint anything that seemed like ‘longevity genes.’ One of the people even carried a gene variant that raises the risk of sudden death caused by irregular heart rhythms!

Epic 4K Sun Video, with Bonus Sunspot Tantrums - A video of the solar surface from the later part of October.

Butterfly Eyespots Deflect Predation - A video that shows just how effective the eyespots on butterfly winds are in saving their lives.

5 Reasons Why You Should Drink Ginger Lemon Tea - This has become my favorite hot drink as the cold weather sets in. I even like hot ginger water (no tea)! I make I in my tea maker (a coffee maker that has never ever made coffee) - putting the chunks of ginger in the carafe. I add lemon in the cup - if I add it at all.

Nothing fishy about health benefits of plant-based omega-3 fatty acid -The chia seeds I have for breakfast almost every morning are high in omega-3….and it’s a good thing!

Major Revamp Planned for D.C.’s South Mall - It’s a long way from happening but the proposal is more extensive than I expected. I want to take a lot of pictures of the ‘as is’ next time I go to the Smithsonian.

Holiday Plans

I’m working on the grocery list that includes the makings of our Thanksgiving feast and thinking more broadly of the next few months. Along with the holidays, there are family birthdays and anniversaries to consider. I enjoy the traditions woven with events unique to the year. This season is shaping up with a good mix.

We’ll have our traditional crock pot roast for Thanksgiving…along with potatoes (sweet for me, russet for my husband), cranberry orange relish, and pumpkin custard. For the ‘something new’ I might try parsnips au gratin and a small pecan pie (from the bakery).

Rather than shopping on Black Friday, we’ll put up our Christmas decorations: the tree, the pinecone wreath on the door, the collected Christmas cards under plastic on the breakfast table, and flags from the loft railing. We are putting the Christmas tree in a slightly different place this year; they’ll be more re-arrangement of furniture.

We have a two day photography class the first week in December which we’ll watch on the television in the room that has the Christmas tree…we’ll soak up the ambience of the season. I’m making sure we have enough logs for the fireplace.  What a nice coming together of circumstance!

Then I have two days of volunteer work to support holiday events. One is a Holiday Sale for a local non-profit and I’ll buy a good portion of Christmas gifts for my family from the venders there. This is only my second year with the event but I count it in the ‘tradition’ column.

Then my husband travels to the west coast for a conference - which he has been attending for years and it is always in December. It is a tradition - one that we adjust our other holiday plans to accommodate. While he’s gone, I’ll distribute the piles of ‘stuff’ I’ve accumulated for donation and take a look at Brookside Gardens Conservatories. Usually we have a tradition of walking around the Brookside light display but it is not happening this year due to construction/renovation at the gardens.

We have never been to Longwood Gardens in December - but are adding it to our holiday plans this year - for the display in the Conservatory and the lights. It will be a day trip. We can leave after the morning rush hour traffic and delay coming back until after dinner to avoid the evening rush hour. We’ll pick the day to avoid any weather related driving hazard.

Christmas will be quiet with just two of us in the house. I almost made myself sick last year when I bought a whole red velvet cake. This year I think I look for one slice - uphold the tradition but not overindulge!

Our tradition is to take all the Christmas decorations down on New Year’s Eve but we’ve been talking about taking in a ‘First Night’ celebration. It is a toss-up whether we’ll stick with tradition or try something new.

We already have some plans for January too - a trip to Tucson. That is not a tradition but it seems like good timing - the flurry of holidays over and (maybe) a bit warmer weather for a week.  It will be a great way to celebrate a 42nd wedding anniversary.

Houseplants

I have three houseplants on the table in front of the breakfast area window - complete with a grow light to support their growth through the winter.

My experimental plant is ginger. A root that I had purchased to add to stir fries sprouted - and I cut off the two areas that sprouted and put the pieces in soil. They have done very well. The original sprouts now are stems and leaves...and there are additional sprouts at the base.

The aloe that had gotten way to large is survived by some smaller versions of itself as my second houseplant. How long will it be before these small ones graduate to the parent’s pot?

So far the sweet potato vines that I rooted in water and then planted in soil are not doing well at all. It is very frustrating. My goal had been to have three pots of the vines so that I could harvest the occasional leave to add to winter salads. Right now they are acting like they preferred to stay in water rather than grow in soil.

Still these few plants are my brace against the coming drabness outdoors. Right now there is still a lot of leaf color but it won’t be long before the color variety in the outdoor scene will be dominated by browns and piney greens….until it snows and we’ll enjoy the clean white for a few days.

Neighborhood Walk

We’ve had a few chilly days in our area…some light frosts. Our neighborhood is past the peak of fall beauty. I took the opportunity to walk around yesterday afternoon when it was warm enough for the bees to be active at the few bedraggled flowers that are still blooming.

The oak seems to glow in the sunshine. Up close the leaves look almost drab.

The Indian corn has been on our door for the past few years - for the few weeks between Halloween and the beginning of December.

I’m noticing more leaves in the street gutters this year. The leaves came down with recent rains and are staying put wherever they got wet. I managed to rake and sweep the street gutter in front of my house this past weekend.

The storm water retention pond for our neighborhood is surrounded by trees and cattails. The cattails are exploding and the breeze wafts away the seeds.

This squirrel ran up a large oak as I got close and posed for a picture. Doesn’t he look well fed? His paw reminds me of ET fingers.

Last but not least - I couldn’t resist the colorful fall display of one trees - and the near bareness of its neighbor.

The joys of fall!

After the CSA

The withdrawal from the weekly CSA share has not been as abrupt as I anticipated. There are still some items in the freezer: 

• Fruit beety
• Parley ice cubes
• Romaine lettuce broth

Kale chips are in a container on the counter.

Butternut squash, garlic, and sweet potatoes are in a bowl on the dining room table (we rarely use the room - so it a good room for a center piece of veggies that don’t need refrigeration.

I bought more produce at the grocery store. The strategy is not well developed yet although I will continue to eat more vegetables than I did before the CSA experience. The first week post-CSA, I bought carrots, celery, cabbage, new potatoes, and colorful bell peppers at the grocery store. I have a bag of cleaned and cut kale in the freezer from a previous week to use in soups and stir fries.

How will I sustain the variety that the CSA prompted? Here are my initial ideas:

• Intentionally - buy at least one different veggie than was purchased the week before.
• Look at the display of organic veggies and pick one (maybe using some ‘rule’ like least expensive for the nutrition value, new to me, or not purchased recently).
• Make sure the mix of soluble/insoluble fiber veggies are relatively balanced in my purchases.
• Pick a recipe from a vegetarian cook book and buy whatever it requires

In cool/cold weather I prefer soup rather than salad. That means I’ll be looking for leafy greens that go well in soups rather than lettuces that are mostly water….and canned tomatoes work as well as fresh ones.

I'm sure my challenge to keep the variety and amount of veggies in my diet is just beginning. The grocery store has the selection - but I have to choose!